Sudan’s Comprehensive Crisis: WHO Director-General ​Calls for Immediate Action

The​ Director-General of the World⁣ Health Organization ⁢(WHO), Dr. Tedros‍ Ghebreyesus, expressed his shock at the conditions of the children he met in Sudan, highlighting the country’s suffering from a comprehensive series of crises, including ongoing conflict,‍ the largest displacement crisis ⁢in the world,‌ and famine-stricken areas.

During a press conference in Port‌ Sudan, Dr. Ghebreyesus noted that 25.6 million people in ⁤Sudan – more than half the population – are expected to face high levels‍ of acute food insecurity.

Dr. Ghebreyesus⁣ visited a WHO-supported pediatric health facility in Port ‌Sudan, which ⁣provides life-saving care⁣ to severely malnourished infants. He was shocked‍ by the‍ plight of many young children and the horrific testimonies of ‍their ⁤mothers, who had been displaced multiple times due to⁢ insecurity and were now grateful to have found refuge in the clinic.

Outbreaks of Diseases and Collapse of the Health System

Dr.‍ Ghebreyesus⁢ warned of outbreaks of diseases such as cholera, malaria, dengue, and measles, with⁤ a risk of monkeypox. He also pointed to numerous reports ​of conflict-related incidents of sexual violence and the almost⁣ complete collapse of the health⁢ system, with 70-80% of health facilities across Sudan not fully‍ functioning.

A Forgotten Crisis

A senior UN official stated that the international community seems to have forgotten Sudan, no longer paying attention to ‍the conflict that is tearing it apart and its consequences for the region.

Dr. Ghebreyesus and Dr. Hanan Balkhi, Regional Director of the WHO for the Eastern Mediterranean Region, met with responding partners and called for an urgent expansion of the scope of work to provide more resources, humanitarian access to aid,‍ and safety for aid workers, health workers, and patients.

The Devastating Impact of the War

The war, which began in April 2023 between ​the Sudan Armed Forces and the Rapid Support ⁣Forces, has ⁤resulted in the deaths of over 20,000 people and the displacement of more than 10 million.

A Call‍ to⁣ Action

Dr. Ghebreyesus warned of the horrific scope of the crisis and the insufficient steps to ‌address the‌ conflict and respond to⁤ the suffering it is causing. He called on the world to “wake up and help Sudan come ‌out of the nightmare it is going through.”

He set out ​several demands, including an immediate ceasefire leading to a lasting political solution, protection of health facilities, medical personnel, and⁢ patients, ‍sustainable access to supplies and aid, expansion of disease detection coverage, and increased vaccination⁣ coverage against cholera, polio, measles, and other diseases in ‌the‍ affected areas.

Dr. Ghebreyesus emphasized the⁤ need for a massive increase in funding ⁣from the international community to strengthen the response, which will save millions, mainly⁣ women and children, who live on​ the brink of⁢ survival, and provide the much-needed peace of mind that⁣ everyone deserves.